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Coeur-de-Roi and his four men, covered with mud and sweat, had just arrived, but too late for the battle. Roland cast a last glance at the battlefield, sighed, and, waving a last farewell to Cadoudal, started at a gallop across the fields to await, on the road to Vannes, the wagon-load of wounded and the prisoners he was asked to deliver to General Hatry.
Cadoudal rode his horse around these living breastworks, firing at twenty paces, sometimes his pistols, sometimes a musket, which he discharged, cast aside, and picked up again reloaded. At each discharge a man fell. The third time he made this round General Hatry honored him with a fusillade. He disappeared in the flame and smoke, and Roland saw him go down, he and his horse, as if annihilated.
They marched, bayonets fixed, in three ranks, each rank three abreast. Roland rode at the head of the first rank, General Hatry between the first and second. Both were easily recognized, being the only men on horseback. Among the Chouans, Cadoudal was the only rider, Branche-d'Or having dismounted to take command of the eight men who were to follow Georges.
He praised and defended General Hatry, but, just and impartial as a soldier should be, he gave full credit to Cadoudal for the courage and generosity the royalist general had displayed. Bonaparte listened gravely, almost sadly; ardent as he was for foreign war with its glorious halo, his soul revolted at the internecine strife which drained the life-blood of the nation and rent its bowels.
He left the group and advanced three paces to meet the messenger. Roland made himself known, related how he came to be among the Whites, and transmitted Cadoudal's proposal to General Hatry. As he has foreseen, the latter refused it. Roland returned to Cadoudal with a proud and joyful heart. "He refuses!" he cried, as soon as his voice could be heard.
"Give him two hours' rest, a double feed of oats, and make him do thirty." "On those conditions he can do them." "Start in two hours. Be at Grandchamp by daybreak. Give the order in my name to evacuate the village. I'll take care of General Hatry and his column. Is that all you have to say?" "No, I heard other news." "What is it?" "That Vannes has a new bishop."
Come, I hope that's a proposition you would accept, colonel?" "I would accept it myself," replied Roland. "Yes," exclaimed Cadoudal, "but you are not General Hatry. Content yourself with being a negotiator this time, and if this proposition, which, if I were he, I wouldn't let escape me, does not please him, come to me. I'm a good fellow, and I'll make him a third."
"General Hatry and his hundred men are surrounded by a triple force. I offer them their lives; but they must lay down their arms, and make oath not to serve again in the Vendee for five years." Roland shook his head. "Better that than to see his men annihilated." "Maybe so; but he would prefer to have his men annihilated, and be annihilated with them."
"Why, the Republicans, and as we have to do with General Hatry, I doubt if he surrenders without resistance." "Do the Republicans know they are going to fight you?" "They haven't the least idea." "So it is to be a surprise?" "Not exactly, inasmuch as when the fog lifts they will see us as soon as we see them."
"My third proposition," said Cadoudal, "is not a proposition but an order; an order for two hundred of my men to withdraw. General Hatry has one hundred men; I will keep one hundred. My Breton forefathers were accustomed to fight foot to foot, breast to breast, man to man, and oftener one to three than three to one.
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